Interlocking skip loading system



Jan. 24, 1933. J D KELWE 1,895,077

INTERLOCKING SKIP LOADING SYSTEM Original Filed June 27, 1928 3 $heets-Sheet 1 gwm'ntoz James D, K eff 1e Jan. 24, 1933. J, KELVlE 1,895,077

INTERLOCKING SKIP LOADING SYSTEM Original File'd June 27, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gvmwnt o1 Jame 6 D, Keir 1e g MMLM Jan. 24, 1933.

J. D. KELVIE INTERLOCKING SKIP LOADING SYSTEM Original Filed To czrc wt bra-an era TO COKG gate malaria Unlzglzzed June 27. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 42 To czrcwmrealiers To COKC ate motor 14 Lighted gwuomtoz James D, Ken 1e Patented Jan. 24, 1933 urrso STATES PATENT oFFic I Z JAMES D. KELVIE, OF CANTON, (lI-IIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO REPUBLIC STEEL GGRPORATION, F YOUNGSTO'NN, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY INTERLOCKING SKIP LOADING SYSTEM Application filed June 27, 1928,.Seria1 No. 288,658. Renewed December 29, 1931.

The present invention relates to interlocking skip loading systems.-

More particularly the present invention relates to a'system for operating and controlling a pair of connected skip tubs or the like, such as are used in the loading of blastfurnaces. It will be understood as the description proceeds, however, that the invention is not limited to the loading of blast furnaces or the operation of loading skips, but has a much broader application. For purposes of this description, however, the invention will be described with reference to blast furnace practice.

An object of the present invention is to provide a system involving the use of a pair of skip tubs which are connected together, whereby, when one of said tubs is at the bottom of its travel, the other of said tubs will be at the top of its travel; which system is provided with protective means for insuring that dumping of material intended for oneor the other of said tubs will occuronly when said tubs are in predetermined positions.

Another object of the invention isto provide a blast furnace loading system involving a pair of cooperating skip tubs; which system is provided with protective means which will prevent the scale car operator from dumping either of the usual compartments, or hoppers, of a scale car unless said compartment, or hopper, is spotted directly over a skip tub, thereby making it impossible for him to dump the material into the skip pit; as for example, when saidskip tubis not in proper position.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a system involving a pair of interconnected skip tubs and a scale car for dumping selectively into said skip tubs; which system is simple in operation; relatively cheap to construct; and whichis provided with protec ti've means for insuring that the scalecar oporator will not dump from the scale-car except when the skip tub is in proper position to receive the materialdumpe'd from said scale car. i

A still fur her object of the invention is to provide a loading systeminvolving a pair of skip tubs; which system is well adapted The numeral 1 indicates a pit, the ground or floor level being indicated by the numeral 2. Extending into said pit is an inclined track structure including runways 3 and 4 for the skip tubs 5 and 6. The skip tubs 5 and 6 are connected together by means of a cable 7 which runs over a sheave (not shown), located at a region above the upper limit of travel of the two skip tubs 5 and 6; In Figs. 1, 2, and 3the skip tub 6 is shown at the lower limit of its travel in position to be loaded. 7 In Fig. 1, the skip tub 5 is shown at the upper limit of its travel inposition to dump its contents into a blast furnace or the like. The means for operating the cable 7 is not shown, but it will be understood that power may be communicated to the cable by means of a drum driven by a hoisting engine or the like.

Disposed in position to discharge material into the two skip tubs 5 and 6, are the chutes 8 and 9. Said chutes communicate at their upper extremities with the hopper 10, which may contain a supply of coke. The hopper 10 is provided with a pair of gates 11 and 12 (one foreach chute), respectively adapted to be opened and closed by means of coke gate motors 13 and 14. v

Also disposed in position to discharge material into the two chutes 8 and 9, are the hoppers 15 and 16, adapted to receive material from' the scale car 17. As indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, a scale car 17 ofusual construction includes a pair of hoppers 18 and 19. -When the gate at the bottom of v the scale car has been properly spotted) will either of the hoppers 18 or 19 is opened, material from said scale car (assuming that discharge intoone or'the other of the hoppers 15 or 16, to be delivered into one or the other of the skip tubs or 6.

The present invention contemplates inter locking mechanism whereby the operator may not discharge from either hopper 18 or 19, unless that particular hopper is properly spotted'over a skip tub. As the scale cars are ordinarily manufactured, theoperator controls the opening of the gate for the discharge of material from said scale car. Ac 1 cording to the present invention, even though thescale car operator should attempt to opceive the discharged material.

' order to illustrate this feature, of the present invention, a preferred embodiment involves a pair of power conductors 20a and 20?), which may beconnected'to the "two sides of an electrical circuit 21a and .21?) through a Cutoff :switch22. Mounted on the frame of theskip, hoist drum (not shown) is a pair of normally open limit switches 23 and 24, one. terminal of each of which is connected to the power conductor 20a by.means of a suitable conductor 25. These limit switches are adapted'to be closed by an operating nut 26, which travels on a screw 27, which in turn may be actuated, or rotated, by the rotation ofthe skiphoist drum.

,T-he scale car 17 is provided with two pairs of sliding contact shoes 28a, 28b, and 29a, 29b. The contact shoes 28a and 285 are connected to theyterminals of a solenoid 30, and theycontact shoes 29a and 296 are connected to the terminals'of a solenoid 31. The solenoids 30 -and'31 are respectively adapted to permit the operation of air cylinders 32 and 33, which respectively function to open and close the gates of the scale car hoppers 18 and 1;9, as shown in Fig. 2. Air will be admitted tothe air cylinders 32 and 33 only when their respective solenoids 30 and 31*are energized. a When skip tub6 is in itslowermost position,,as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, limit switch '24 is closed, forming a closed circuit as follows: power conductor 20a, conductor 25, limit switch 24, conductor 34, solenoidcutcit -switch 35, conductor36, conductor bar 37 (mounted on coke hopper =10,-directly over the center of coke chute 9), scale car condu'ctor shoe 29a, conductor 38, solenoid 31,

- conductor 39, scale car conductor shoe 29b,

conductor bar 40 (mounted on coke hopper 10, belowconductor bar 37), conductor 41, switch 35, and power conductor 205. With the circuit thus closed, the solenoid 31 is en- (not shown). These circuit breakers may be energized to cause the motor 14 to open and close the cokegate 12, at will, by means of. a manually controlled switch 44. j

On moving theswitch 44 to the positionindicated in dotted linesin Fig. 3,"a closed circuit is formed, including power'tcon ductor 20a, conductor 25, limit switch 24, conductor 34, conductor '45,,cutofi' switch 46, conductor 47, switch 44, conductor 48, limit switch 49,

circuit breakers(not shown) for closing the circuit in power lines 42 and 43, conductor 50, cutofi switch 46, conductor 51, and power line 20b. The clo'singof the aforesaid circuit in the manner described, causes the closing of the circuit to the coke gate motor 14.

After a gp'redeterm-i ed interval, during which the gate 12 is opening, the limit switch 49 opens, and a limit switch 52 closes. The gate 12 may then be closed by moving the switch 44 to the position indicated by thedot and dash line in Fig; 3. y r

It will bere'adily understood that when the limit-s'witch23 is open (as-shown in Fig. 3), and with the'scale car 17 in "the position indicated in this figure, neither the gate of the hopper 18, nor the gate 11 of the hopper 10 may be opened, and the pos'sibility'of accidental dum-pi'ngof -materlal into the pitl is thus completely-obviated.

I An indicati-ngl'i 'ht 53, energized only when the limit switch'24 is closed, serves as an added precaution to indicate to the operator that the skip tub 6 is properly spotted for receiving-material. a

Whe'nthe positions of the skip tubs 5 -a-nd-6 are reversed, that is :to say, when the skip tub 5 is in itslo'wermost position, limit switch 23 is closed, "forming a closed circuit as follows: power conductor 20a, conductor 25 limit switch 23, conductor 54, solenoid o'utofl switch 35, conductor 55,;conductor bar *56 (mountedon-coke hopper 10, directly over the center of eokechute 8) scale car conductor shoe 28 a,.condu'ctor 57, so'lenoid30, conductor 58, scalegcarconductor shoe 28b, conductor bar done by the operator through the intermediary of the coke gate motor 13 (shown in Figs. 1 and 2), the terminals 60 and 61 of Y which are connected'to the power conductors 20a and 20?) through suitable circuit breakers (not shown). These circuit breakers may be energized tocause the motor13 to openvand close the coke gate 11, at will, by neans 01 a manually controlled switch 62.

On moving the switch 62 to the position indicated in dotted lines 'in-Fig. 3, a closed circuit is formed, includingpower conductor 20a, conductor 25, limit switch 23, conductor 54, conductor 63, cutofi switch 16, conductor 64-, switch 62, conductor. 65, limit switch 66, circuitbreakers (not shown) for closing the circuit in power lines 60 and 61, conductor 67, cutotl switch l6,conductor 51, and power line 20b. The closing of theatoresaid circuit in the mannendescribed, causes the closing of the circuit to the coke gate motor 13. After a predetermined interval, during which the coke gate-11 is opening, the limit switch 66 opens, and a limit switch 68 closes. The gate 11 may then be closed by movingthe switch 62 to the position indicated by the dot anddash line in Fig.3. r a

It will be readily understood that when the limit switch 24 isopen, and with the scale car- 17 in the position indicated in Fig. 3,

neither the gate of the hopper 19,- northe gate 12 of the hopper 10 may be opened, and the possibility of accidental dumping of material into the pit 1 is thus completely obviated.

An indicating light 69, energized only when the limit switch 23 is'closed, serves as an added precaution to indicate to the operator that the skip tab 5 is properly spotted for receiving material. v

It will be readily understood from Fig. 3

that either hopper, .18'-or 19, of thescale car,

may be spotted over the skip tub 6,and-that saidskip tub willreceive material from the hoppersospotted. It will also be clear that the present invention controls the dumping from both the scale car 17 andthe hopper 10.

selective electric circuits, said electric circuits being responsive only to the cooperation of said limit switches and the position of said hoppers relative to said skip tubs.

2. In combination, a pair of skip tubs, an operating cable for moving said tubs simultaneously, a pair of limit switches responsive to the relative positions of said skip tubs, a scale c'ar having a pair of hoppers adapted to cooperate with said skip tubs, and electric contact means carried by saidsca-le car and adapted to complete an electric circuit through one or the other of said limit switches for selectively controlling the discharging of said hoppers, said contact means being operative only when the scale car is in position to discharge into one or the other of said skip tubs.

3. In combination, a pair of skip tubs,,an.

operating cable for moving said skip tubs simultaneously, a scale car having a plurality with each or said hoppersfor controlling said means, and means adapted to complete. an electrical circuit selectlvely through said solenoids, said last-named means having two branches and a limit switch in-.each ofsaid' branches, each of saidlimit switches being responsive to the positions of said skip tubs.

1. In combination, a skip tub, a scale car having a plurality of hoppers adapted to be selectively positioned over said skip tub to discharge material thereinto, means for discharging material from said hoppers, and means co-operating with said skip tubrendering all of said discharging means inoperative except that of the hopper which is positioned over said skip tub.

5. In combination, a skip tub, a scale car having aplurality of hoppers adapted to be selectively positioned over said skip tub to discharge material thereinto, means for discharging material from said hoppers, and electric contact devices rendering all of said discharging means inoperative except that of the hopper which is positioned over said tub.

6. In combination, a skip tub, a scale car having a plurality of hoppers provided with gates and adapted to be selectively posi-- tioned over said skip tub to discharge mate rial thereinto, means for opening said gates to discharge niaterialfrom said hoppers, and means co-operating wlth said skip tub for render ng all of said gate opening means inoperative except that of the hopper which is positioned over said tub..

7. In combination, a skip tub, a scale car having a plurality of hoppers provided with gates and adapted to be selectivelypositioned over said skip tub'to, discharge material thereinto, means for opening said gates to discharge material fromsaid hoppers, and electriccontact means rendering all of said gate opening means inoperative except that of the hopper which is positioned over said skip tub.. v M

I 8. In combination, a pair of interconnected skip tubs adapted to be alternatcly'positioned to receive material, a scale car having tioned over one of said skip tubs.

a plurality o f hoppers adapted to be selectively positioned over one of said skip tubs to discharge material thereinto, means for discharging material from: said hoppers, and means cooperating with "said skip tub ren dering all of said discharging means inoperative except that of the hopper which is posi- 9. In combination, a pair ofinterconnected skiptubs adapted to be alternately positioned to receive material, a scale car having a plucharge material thereinto means for 'dis-,

i'ality of hoppersadapted to be selectively positioned overone of said 'skip'tubs to discharging material from said hoppers, and electric contact devices rendering all 01": said discharging means inoperative except that o of the hopper which is positioned over said tub.

10. In combination, a pair of interconnected skiptubs adapted to be alternatelyposi- 1 tioned toreceivematerial, a scale car having a a pluralityof hoppers providedwith gates of the hopper which is i said skip tubs.

andadapted to be selectively positioned over one of said skip tubs to discharge material thereinto,'-'means for opening said gates to discharge material from said hoppers, and means cooperating with said skip tubrendering all of said gate opening means inoperative' except that of the hopper which is positioned over one of. said tubs.

11. In combination, a pair of interconnected skip tubs adapted to be alternately positioned to receive material, a scale car having a plurality of hoppers provided with gates and adapted to be selectively positioned over one of said skip tubs to discharge material thereinto, meansfor opening said gates to discharge material from saidhoppers, and electric contact devices rendering allof said gate opening means inoperative except that 12.111 combination, material containing containers having discharge openings, gates for the openings to control discharge of material through the'latter, electrical means for controlling operation of said gates, skip tubs mounted for simultaneous alternative movement into and out of material receiv ng position relative to thesaid discharge openings,

respectively, means for moving the skip tubs "to position to receive material from the said openings and to positions to. dump material so'received, limit switches shiftable with the 6 shifting of positions of the skip tubs and an electrical circuit including said limit switches and gate controlling means for transmitting current to and energizing said gate operating means.

'13. In combination, movable material con-;

taining containers having discharge openpositioned over oneof ings, gates for said openings, electrical means ,for'controlling the operation of said gates,

skip tubs mounted for simultaneous alternative movement into" and out of material receiving position relative to said discharge openings, respectively, limit switches respon sive to the position of-saidskip tubs, and an 7 electrical circuit including said limit switches responsive to the discharging position of said.

material containin containers for transmitting current to an energizing said gate operating means. v.: I I I 14. In combination, material containing containers havingdischarge openings, means for discharging material through said openings, skip tubszmounted' for simultaneous alternative movement into and out of material reoeiving position relative to I said; discharge openings, means for moving said skip tubs into and out of materialreceiving'position,.electrical means responsive to the position-of said skip tubs for effecting the opera tion ofsaid (discharge. openings. V ,15; In combination, material containing means having discharge openings, means for discharging material through said openings,

skip tubsmountedfor simultaneous alterris tive movementinto andout of material receiving position relative to said discharge nieans,'and contact members controlled by the position of both oflsaid elements to effect the transmission of power for permitting the, operation of said ate means. 1 a

17. lncombination, a skip tub,a scale car apower operablegatemeans between sai skip tuband said scale 1car,.-means for operatingsaidgate means,-and electrical. means con trolled; bytheaction of said skiptuba'nd permitting" V s'cale'car to turnonthe power for the operation of said gate means.

.In testimony whereof I afiixomy signature. 7

V JAMES KELVIE. 

